Method and device for inserting biscuits into boxes

ABSTRACT

A longitudinal rectangular open box having a bottom wall and upright walls of which the end walls are vertically slit in their center is folded downwardly about the longitudinal centerline of the bottom wall, while moved lengthwise along a horizontal guide bed so that the downwardly folded one-half of the box will have its bottom half disposed vertically and its longitudinal sidewall horizontally. Now vertical stacks of biscuits are slidably inserted, either by hand or by feeding devices placed along the guide bed, into the upper half of the box and into the lower half of the box. Then the filled lower half of the box is folded upwardly again so that both bottom wall halves are disposed in the same horizontal plane and the box is closed by a cover, by a sleevelike wrapper, or by merely attaching an adhesive strip over the slit in the end walls.

United States Patent Fluck 1 Feb. 1, 1972 54] METHOD AND DEVICE FOR3,411,264 11/1968 Farquhar ..53/183 x INSERTING BISCUITS INTO BOXES3,531,912 10/1970 Griner etal ..53/252 x Rene Fluck, Neuhausen amRheinfall, Switzerland lnventor:

Schweizerische lndustrie-Gesellschatt, Neuhausen am Rheinfall,Switzerland Filed: Aug. 26, 1970 Appl. No.: 67,083

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 1, 1969 Switzerland ..13,241/69U.S.Cl ..53/35, 53/154, 53/159, 53/240, 53/244, 53/252, 53/381 Int. Cl...B65b 5/10, B65b 23/14, B65b 23/16 Field of Search ..53/26, 35,154,159, 161,173, 53/183, 185, 235, 237, 240, 244, 252, 381; 93/36References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Murray ..53/26 PrimaryExaminer-Robert L. Spruill Attorney-Singer, Stern & Carlberg [5 7]ABSTRACT A longitudinal rectangular open box having a bottom wall andupright walls of which the end walls are vertically slit in their centeris folded downwardly about the longitudinal centerline of the bottomwall, while moved lengthwise along a horizontal guide bed so that thedownwardly folded one-half of the box will have its bottom half disposedvertically and its longitudinal sidewall horizontally.

Now vertical stacks of biscuits are slidably inserted, either by hand orby feeding devices placed along the guide bed, into the upper half ofthe box and into the lower half of the box. Then the filled lower halfof the box is folded upwardly again so that both bottom wall halves aredisposed in the same horizontal plane and the box is closed by a cover,by a sleevelike wrapper, or by merely attaching an adhesive strip overthe slit in the end walls.

11 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INSERTING BISCUITSINTO BOXES The invention relates to a method and a device for insertingbiscuits into boxes. At present the insertion of biscuits into boxestakes place mostly entirely by hand because it is difficult to obtain aninsertion by mechanical means without damaging the individual biscuits.

It is an object of the invention to accelerate the insertion operation,for which purpose the method of the invention employs an open box whoserectangular bottom wall is foldable along its longitudinal centerline,while at the circumference of this bottom wall there are providedupright side walls of which the ones at the end of the folding line arevertically in their centers in line with the longitudinal centerline ofthe bottom wall slit. This open box is slidably moved by mechanicalmeans along a horizontal guide bed and during this movement the boxis sofolded out about said centerline that in one of the halves of the box,namely, in the upper half the associated one-half of the bottom wall isdisposed horizontally, while in the other half of the box, namely thelower half, the sidewall pertainingthereto is disposed horizontally.After this is done, a vertical stack of biscuits is inserted in each oneof the two halves of the box and by means of a further mechanicallongitudinal slidable movement of the box along the guide bed,

the outwardly folded half of the box is again folded back into itsoriginal position, so that the biscuit stacks inserted in the lower halfof the box will now be positioned with their axes horizontally in thebox.

In the performance of this method, the length tolerance of the biscuitstacks in their axial direction is practically of no significance.

The insertion of the biscuit stacks into the two halves of the box maybe performed manually, but preferably is performed automatically. Forthis purpose, the invention provides a device for inserting thesebiscuit stacks. This device is provided with two feed devices disposedalong the horizontal guide bed for inserting the vertical stacks ofbiscuits automatically into the two halves of the outwardly folded box.

The drawings illustrate diagrammatically, by way of example, oneembodiment of the device in accordance with the invention. In thedrawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the first or starting portionof the device for inserting biscuits into boxes;

FIG. 2 illustrates in a perspective view a continuation of the deviceshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates in a perspective view a continuation of the deviceshown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along the line IVIV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line V-V of FIG. 2, but showsthe details of the movable parts in a somewhat different position;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line VIVI of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 illustrates diagrammatically the drive device for the insertingdevice.

Referring to the figures of the drawings, it will be noted that theinserting device is provided with a horizontally extending guide bed Ifor supporting thereon open cardboard boxes 2 which are to be filledwith biscuits 3. The boxes 2 have a longitudinal rectangular bottom wall4 which along its longitudinal centerline 5 is easily foldable, and thebottom wall 4 around its circumference is provided with four uprightsidewalls 6. The two sidewalls 6 at the end of the folding line 5 areprovided each with a vertical slit 7, so that the box 2 may be foldedout along the mentioned longitudinal centerline 5 in such manner thatone half 4, of the bottom will be disposed horizontally and the otherhalf 4, of the bottom will be disposed vertically, as shown in FIGS. 5and 6.

The boxes 2 are moved by vertical tappets 8 in the direction of thearrow 9 along the upper face of the bed I. The tappets 8 are arranged onan endless chain 10 parallel to the bed I and above the same. FIG. 1indicates solely the lower stretch of this endless chain 10 whichextends along the entire length of the bed I. On one side of the bottomII of the guide bed I is arranged a guide wall I2. The upper portion ofthis wall 12 extends horizontally over a portion of the box 2.

The bottom face 11 of the guide bed I is horizontal at its beginning, asshown in FIG. I, but later on changes to a stepped down profile, in theFIGS. 4 to 6. At the beginning of the guide bed I opposite the guidewall 12 a folding bar 13 is arranged which is secured in position on thebed 1 by holders 14. This folding bar 13 has such a shape that duringthe longitudinal movement of the box 2 it will engage the one half ofthe box which is not engaged by the vertical guide wall 12 and urgesthis half downwardly, so that the bottom wall 4 of the box engages thestepped profile of the guide bed 1 and causes the box to be folded openin such manner as is illustrated to the FIGS. 4 to 6.

Now according to FIG. 5, the upper half of the box is supplied withvertical stacks of biscuits 15 which are horizontally slidably insertedand which will be deposited in the horizontal one half 4, of the box onthe bottom 4, so that these stacks of biscuits will engage laterally thevertical sidewall 6,. Into the lower half of the box are slidablyinserted, as shown in FIG. 6, likewise vertical stacks 16 of biscuits.These stacks come to lie on the horizontally disposed side wall 6 of thebox and engage laterally the vertically disposed halves 4 of the bottomwall. The slidable insertion of the biscuit stacks l5 and 16 can beaccomplished in a particular simple manner of the method of theinvention by hand, but in the present device, the insertion of thebiscuit stacks preferably takes place automatically, as will bedescribed in more detail hereinafter.

After the two halves 4,, 6, and 4 6 of the box have been filled withbiscuits, the box 2 during its continuous slidable movement along thebed I is again folded upwardly into its normal position in which thebottom halves 4, and 4 of the bottom wall 4 are arranged in a singlehorizontal plane. This refolding is accomplished by the stepped bottomprofile according to FIGS. 4 to 6 which gradually changes into a planehorizontal bottom face 11, as is shown in FIG. 3 at 17. The biscuitstacks 16 are now positioned with their axes horizontally in the box,while the biscuit stacks 15 are arranged with their axes, as formerly,in a vertical position.

In order to prevent at the end of the guide bed I a reopening of the box2, the box is inserted in a manner not illustrated into a strong,preferably transparent paper sleeve or there is applied to the box astiff cover with a downwardly extending flange. On the other hand, itwould be sufficient if one would solely bridge the slits 7 with anadhesive strip.

In order to insert the biscuit stacks 15 and 16 automatically into thetwo halves of the box, the invention provides two feeding devices 18,and 18 which are arranged adjacent the guide bed I and parallel to thesame. The two feeding devices 18, and 18 arewith the exception laterexplained detail alike in construction, but they are arranged atdifferent levels, so that the first feeding device 18, lies higher inorder to insert the biscuit stacks 15 into the upper half 4,, 6, of thebox, while the second feeding device 18 is arranged at a lower level inorder to insert the biscuit stacks 16 into the lower half 4-,, 6 of thebox. Each feeding device 18 is provided with an endless band 19 on whichare secured outwardly projecting transverse walls 20. The endless band19 moves in the direction of the arrow 21, parallel to the guide bed I,as shown in FIG. 2, but can also be replaced by one or more parallelendless chains on the individual members of which are secured transversewalls 20. In order to insert the biscuits 3 into the compartments 22formed between the transverse walls 20, there are provided two verticaltubular feed shafts 23 of which only one is illustrated in FIG. 2.Biscuits 3, of a first order are inserted in the upper portion of theshaft 23, for instance, directly from a biscuit oven. From the lower endof the shaft 23 two biscuits 3, are deposited each time upon ahorizontal guide path 24 as is, for instance, illustrated in the SwissPat. No. 354,381 and from this guide path 24, the biscuits aretransferred by a slide 25 into a compartment 22. The second verticalfeed shaft,

which is not shown, receives biscuits 3 of a second order and cooperateswith a guide path which lies the thickness of two biscuits higher thanthe path 24, so that finally in one compartment 22 two biscuits 3 andtwo biscuits 3 are inserted to form a biscuit stack 15.

Now four successive biscuit stacks 15 are grasped by a raketypetransversely movable slide 26, the prongs of which enter into thecompartments 22 and move from these compartments 22 the biscuit stacks15 into the halves 4,, 6 or 4. 6 of the box. In the feeding device 18,,this takes place over the horizontal plate 28. The slide 26 is attachedto one end of a horizontal plunger 29, the other end of which isconnected with a vertical axis joint 30, as shown in FIG. 7, and thisjoint is connected with a connecting rod 31 which in turn at 32 ispivotally attached to the upper end of a lever 33 movable in a verticalplane.

The lower end of the lever 33 is pivotally secured to a horizontal shaft34 to which also is attached the lower end of a short lever 35 carryingat its upper end a scanning roller 36. The scanning roller 36 is urgedby a spring 37 attached to a lateral arm 38 of the lever 33 and to astationary point 39 against the circumference of a cam 40 which ismounted on a horizontally driven shaft 41. Upon rotation of the shaft41, the connecting rod 31 and therewith also the plunger 29, receives amovement which is indicated by the double arrow 42 and is transferred tothe slide 26 and is directed transversely to the bed 1.

However, the slide 26 must not only be moved transversely with respectto the guide bed 1, but also has to follow the longitudinal movement ofthe box 2 and of the endless conveyor band 19 which moves with the samespeed. It would be difficult to transmit to the slide 26 simultaneouslya translatory longitudinal movement and a translatory transversemovement- In practice, the translatory longitudinal movement can,however, be replaced by a swinging movement, provided there is availablesufficient play between the prongs 27 of the slide 26 and the verticaltransverse walls 20 which between them form the compartments 22. Thementioned swinging movement is obtained by means of a lever 44 which isrotatable about a vertical axis 43 formed by a bearing pin attached tothe machine frame part 45'. This lever 44 carries at one end a scanningroller 45 and carries at its other end on the feed device 18 ahorizontal plate 28. The horizontally disposed lever 44 carries alsobetween its ends a vertical post 47 at the upper end of which isarranged a horizontal tubular guide member 46 through which extends thehorizontally movable plunger 29. The scanning roller 45 engages a closedannular control groove 48 which is arranged in the side of theperipheral portion of a cam disc 49 which is secured to the horizontalshaft 41. The control groove 48 is not arranged in a radial plane but inthe side face of the cam disc 49 and has an axially directed component,so that the lever 44 during the rotation of the shaft 41 effects anoscillating swinging movement about the vertical axis 43. This issufficient to cause the slide 26 and the plate 28 to perform during theworkingv stroke of the slide such a movement that it follows thelongitudinal movement of the conveyor band 19 and of the box 2 whereuponthe slide 26 quickly returns to its starting position, namely, to aposition next to the following four biscuit stacks 15. The plate 28 ispreferably provided with two vertical sidewalls 50 of which only therear one is illustrated in FIG. 7. In FIG. 2 the two sidewalls have beenomitted. The two sidewalls 50 converge toward the direction of the box 2in order to bring the biscuit stacks l closer to one another which whenon the conveyor band 19 are still separated from each other by adistance equal to the thickness of the transverse walls 20,

The feeding device 18 does not employ the plate 28 because therespective conveyor band 19 is very close to the lower half 4 6, of thebox 2 in which the biscuit stacks are to be inserted by a slidingmovement.

The mechanism illustrated in FIG. 7 or a similar mechanism may also beemployed to transit to the guide path 24 and the slide 25 associatedtherewith a swinging movement which compensates for the longitudinalmovement of the conveyor band 19.

Principally, it is not absolutely necessary to transmit to the slides 24and 26 during their working strokes a movement component whichcompensates for the longitudinal movement of the conveyor band 19. Thisis not necessary in such a case when the conveyor band 19 and the boxes2 and the endless chain 10 are not driven continuously but step by stepand when each step corresponds to the length of a compartment 22 andwhen the working stroke of the slides 24 and 26 in the rest intervalstakes place between these steps. The capacity of the inserting deviceoperating with a step-by-step feeding movement of the conveyor band 19is, however, substantially less than that of an inserting device whichas described operates with a continuously moving conveyor band.

After the discharge stroke, the slide 26 has to be withdrawn by theconnecting rod 31 and the cam 40 from the compartments 22 before thecontrol groove 48 performs a quick return movement of the lever 44 intoits starting position and before the slide 26 can follow thelongitudinal movement of the four next compartments 22.

In a nonillustrated modified construction, the slide 26 at the end ofits working stroke may also be lifted from the compartments 22 in orderthat the return movement of the lever 44 may take place before the slide26 has completed its idle stroke.

Even though the drawings illustrate solely circular biscuits, the deviceof the invention may also be employed to advantage for biscuits havinganother shape, for instance a square shape, as long as the circumferencecorresponds to the circumference of the circular biscuit.

When it is desired that during the slidable movement of the stacks 15from the compartments 22 of the feeding device 18 and during theinsertion of these stacks into the box 2 really troubleproof conditionsare to prevail, then the lever 44 would have to be separated into twoparts, namely into a two-armed lever 43, 44 on the one hand and the post47 including the guide 46 and the plate 28 on the other hand. In suchcase, the vertical post 47 would have to be freely rotatable at the endof the lever 44. In this manner, the slide 26 and the plate 28 couldautomatically correct themselves during the outward movement of thebiscuits.

What I claim is:

1. Method for inserting biscuits into an open longitudinal box having arectangular bottom wall and whose upright end walls are vertically slit,said method comprising the steps of folding said box outwardly about thelongitudinal centerline of the bottom wall while moving said boxlengthwise along a horizontal guide bed in such manner that one half ofthe box to one side of said longitudinal centerline rests on ahorizontal portion of a guide bed, while the other half of the box isdisposed transversely below said first mentioned half of the box withits longitudinal side wall in a horizontal position, inserting verticalstacks of biscuits transversely into both halves of said box, and duringthe continued lengthwise movement of the box folding upwardly theoutwardly folded half of the box so that both bottom walls of the boxare in the. same horizontal plane and the axes of the biscuit stacks inthe folded-up half of the box will be positioned horizontally.

2. Device for inserting biscuits into longitudinal boxes in which anopen box having a rectangular bottom wall and whose end walls arevertically slit, is folded outwardly about the longitudinal centerlineof the bottom wall, said device comprising a longitudinal guide bedhaving a horizontal bed surface along which said open box islongitudinally moved and including a guide rail engaging the one-half ofthe box to be folded outwardly and causing the longitudinal side wall ofsaid folded half of the box to be disposed horizontally in a plane belowthe plane in which the bottom wall of the other half of the box is movedlengthwise, feed means arranged along said horizontal bed surface ofsaid guide bed for transversely inserting stacks of biscuits with theiraxes vertically disposed in both halves of said box, and a guide portion(17) in said guide bed for folding the downwardly folded half of thebox, when filled with stacks of biscuits, upwardly, so that both halvesof the bottom of the box are disposed in a common horizontal plane insaid guide bed.

3. Device according to claim 2, in which said horizontal guide bed inthe region in which the one-half of the box is folded outwardly isprovided with a steplike profile to permit an outward folding of saidone-half of the box, and said feed means are disposed along saidsteplike profile of said horizontal guide bed.

4. Device according to claim 2, including an upwardly extending wall onsaid guide bed adjacent the sidewall of said one-half of the box whichremains on the horizontal bed surface when the other half of the box isfolded outwardly, and an inwardly extending portion on said wall forengaging said box when the one-half of said box is being foldedoutwardly.

5. Device according to claim 2, in which each feed device includes anendless conveyor means (19) extending parallel to said guide bed,upright transverse walls (20) on said conveyor means formingcompartments (22) for the reception of vertically stacked biscuits, anda transversely movable slide member (26) for transferring the biscuitstacks for said compartments into the upper and lower halves of said boxwhich is moved along said guide bed.

6. Device according to claim 5, including guide means provided withslides (25) for inserting the stacks of biscuits into the compartments(22) formed by said transverse walls (20) on said conveyor means (19).

7. Device according to claim 2, including an endless conveyor arrangedabove said guide bed and provided with tappets (8) for engaging andmoving said boxes along said guide bed in a predetermined relation tothe feed mearis which 9. Device according to claim 8, in which saidguide meanscomprises a rake-type slide (26) for slidably moving aplurality of biscuit stacks, a lever (44) oscillatable in a horizontalplane carrying a vertical post with a horizontal guide supporting ahorizontal plunger (29) on one end of which said slide (26) is attached,the other end of said plunger being attached to a reciprocatingconnecting rod (3!) operated by a cam drive (33, 35, 36, 40).

10. Device according to claim 8, in which said guide means comprises arake-type slide (26) for slidably moving a plurality of biscuit sacks, alever (44) oscillatable in a horizontal plane carrying a vertical postwith a horizontal guide supporting a horizontal plunger (29) on one endof which said slide (26) is attached, the other end of said plungerbeing attached to a reciprocating connecting rod (31) operated by a camdrive (33, 35, 36, 40), said oscillatable lever (44) has attachedthereto a horizontal plate (28) for supporting the stacks of biscuitswhich are to be inserted into the upper one-half of said box.

11. Device according to claim 10, including two spaced upright walls onsaid horizontal plate which converge toward the upper half of said box.

1. Method for inserting biscuits into an open longitudinal box having arectangular bottom wall and whose upright end walls are vertically slit,said method comprising the steps of folding said box outwardly about thelongitudinal centerline of the bottom wall while moving said boxlengthwise along a horizontal guide bed in such manner that one half ofthe box to one side of said longitudinal centerline rests on ahorizontal portion of a guide bed, while the other half of the box isdisposed transversely below said first mentioned half of the box withits longitudinal side wall in a horizontal position, inserting verticalstacks of biscuits transversely into both halves of said box, and duringthe continued lengthwise movement of the box folding upwardly theoutwardly folded half of the box so that both bottom walls of the boxare in the same horizontal plane and the axes of the biscuit stacks inthe folded-up half of the box will be positioned horizontally.
 2. Devicefor inserting biscuits into longitudinal boxes in which an open boxhaving a rectangular bottom wall and whose end walls are verticallyslit, is folded outwardly about the longitudinal centerline of thebottom wall, said device comprising a longitudinal guide bed having ahorizontal bed surface along which said open box is longitudinally movedand including a guide rail engaging the one-half of the box to be foldedoutwardly and causing the longitudinal side wall of said folded half ofthe box to be disposed horizontally in a plane below the plane in whichthe bottom wall of the other half of the box is moved lengthwise, feedmeans arranged along said horizontal bed surface of said guide bed fortransversely inserting stacks of biscuits with their axes verticallydisposed in both halves of said box, and a guide portion (17) in saidguide bed for folding the downwardly folded half of the box, when filledwith stacks of biscuits, upwardly, so that both halves of the bottom ofthe box are disposed in a common horizontal plane in said guide bed. 3.Device according to claim 2, in which said horizontal guide bed in theregion in which the one-half of the box is folded outwardly is providedwith a steplike profile to permit an outward folding of said one-half ofthe box, and said feed means are disposed along said steplike profile ofsaid horizontal guide bed.
 4. Device according to claim 2, including anupwardly extending wall on said guide bed adjacent the sidewall of saidone-half of the box which remains on the horizontal bed surface when theother half of the box is folded outwardly, and an inwardly extendingportion on said wall for engaging said box when the one-half of said boxis being folded outwardly.
 5. Device according to claim 2, in which eachfeed device includes an endless conveyor means (19) extending parallelto said guide bed, upright transverse walls (20) on said conveyor meansforming compartments (22) for the reception of vertically stackedbiscuits, and a transversely movable slide member (26) for transferringthe biscuit stacks for said compartments into the upper and lower halvesof said box which Is moved along said guide bed.
 6. Device according toclaim 5, including guide means provided with slides (25) for insertingthe stacks of biscuits into the compartments (22) formed by saidtransverse walls (20) on said conveyor means (19).
 7. Device accordingto claim 2, including an endless conveyor (10) arranged above said guidebed and provided with tappets (8) for engaging and moving said boxesalong said guide bed in a predetermined relation to the feed means whichinsert said stacks of biscuits in said boxes.
 8. Device according toclaim 6, including guide means (44, 46) for said slides (25, 26), andmeans for said guide means which permit said slides to perform duringtheir working stroke and insertion of the stacks of biscuits into saidlengthwise-moving compartments also a transverse movement of said slidesso as to follow the longitudinal movement of the box.
 9. Deviceaccording to claim 8, in which said guide means comprises a rake-typeslide (26) for slidably moving a plurality of biscuit stacks, a lever(44) oscillatable in a horizontal plane carrying a vertical post with ahorizontal guide supporting a horizontal plunger (29) on one end ofwhich said slide (26) is attached, the other end of said plunger beingattached to a reciprocating connecting rod (31) operated by a cam drive(33, 35, 36, 40).
 10. Device according to claim 8, in which said guidemeans comprises a rake-type slide (26) for slidably moving a pluralityof biscuit sacks, a lever (44) oscillatable in a horizontal planecarrying a vertical post with a horizontal guide supporting a horizontalplunger (29) on one end of which said slide (26) is attached, the otherend of said plunger being attached to a reciprocating connecting rod(31) operated by a cam drive (33, 35, 36, 40), said oscillatable lever(44) has attached thereto a horizontal plate (28) for supporting thestacks of biscuits which are to be inserted into the upper one-half ofsaid box.
 11. Device according to claim 10, including two spaced uprightwalls on said horizontal plate which converge toward the upper half ofsaid box.